1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a drip pan assembly for a cooking range and more specifically to an insulated drip pan assembly for use with a cooking range.
2. Description of Related Art
Drip pans for use with cooking ranges are well known and commonly used. A main function of drip pans is to catch food particles, liquids and other food-related or other matter which may exit a cooking or other vessel placed on the range. The conventional drip pan collects such matter for easy clean-up and to prevent such matter from entering the interior of the range. Drip pans generally are made of a heat conducting material, such as metal, and may be chrome-plated or polished for aesthetic reasons or coated with a non-stick substance to ease removal of drippings.
The typical drip pan's function is to catch drippings and not to participate in the cooking or heating of the food contained in vessels on the range. Therefore, drip pans generally are formed from aluminum or other metals for economical reasons--ease of formation and economy of raw materials. However, these metals generally are heat conducting. A major disadvantage of known drip pans is because heat conducting materials radiate heat in all directions, drip pans do not speed the heating of the cooking vessel atop the heating element. As a result, a portion of the energy which could be used to cook food is wasted.